US to EU Kids' Clothing Size Conversion
| US Age | EU (cm height) |
|---|---|
| 2T | 92 |
| 3T | 98 |
| 4 | 104 |
| 5 | 110 |
| 6 | 116 |
| 7 | 122 |
| 8 | 128 |
Sizing conventions vary by brand and by cut — this table shows the standard published conversion. Always check the garment's own size chart when one is available. See how these tables are compiled.
An age label converting into a height measurement
US kids' clothing is conventionally labeled by age (2T, 4, 6, 8...), while EU kids' clothing is conventionally labeled by height in centimetres (98, 104, 110...) — converting US to EU means translating an age assumption into a height assumption, which is a genuinely less precise conversion than almost anything else on this site, since children of the identical age can differ in height by several centimetres depending on their individual growth pattern.
This is the core reason kids' clothing sizing frustrates parents more than adult sizing does: age labels were never meant to be a precise measurement in the way a height-based EU label actually is, so converting a US age-based size into EU height-based sizing is really converting an approximation into something more exact, and the approximation is the weaker link, not the conversion arithmetic.
Height matters more than age for the conversion itself
If you know your child's actual height in centimetres, skip the US age label entirely and shop directly by the EU height figure — it's a more reliable starting point than converting a US 'size 6' (which assumes an average height for six-year-olds) through an intermediate age-based table. Most children's clothing retailers, including US ones, now publish an approximate height range alongside the age label specifically because the age label alone is known to be unreliable.
Brands vary in how generously they cut for a given age or height
On top of the age-versus-height mismatch, individual brands cut with different amounts of room for a given labeled size — some US brands cut generously to accommodate a wider range of body types at one age label, while some European brands, particularly those following a snugger continental fit tradition, cut closer to the stated height with less built-in room. A correctly converted height figure can still run generous or snug depending on the specific brand's cutting philosophy.
Shopping the EU height figure directly
Measure your child's actual height rather than relying on their age, shop directly by the EU height-cm figure where possible rather than converting through the US age label, and check the specific brand's own fit notes (relaxed versus fitted) since that affects the outcome as much as the height-to-age conversion itself.
Frequently asked questions
Is converting a US kids' age size to EU height sizing precise?
Less precise than most conversions on this site, because it translates an inherently approximate age label into a more exact height measurement — children of the same age vary considerably in actual height.
Should I use my child's age or height to find the right EU size?
Height, if you know it — shopping directly by the EU centimetre figure is more reliable than converting a US age label, which only assumes an average height for that age.
Why do US retailers now list a height range alongside the age label?
Because the age label alone is known to be unreliable — height correlates more directly with how a garment will actually fit than age does, so many US retailers now publish both.
Do all brands cut the same amount of room into a given size?
No — some brands cut generously for a wider range of body types at one label, while others (some European brands especially) cut closer to the stated height with less built-in room, independent of the age-to-height conversion itself.
Is it worth re-measuring my child before every purchase?
Ideally yes, especially during growth spurts — children's height can change enough in a few months to shift which size is actually correct, more so than the size-label conversion itself changes.